2026 World Cup Tournament Roadmap: Key Dates and Matches

The wait is over. The 2026 World Cup, the biggest tournament the sport has ever seen, finally has a roadmap.

From June 11 to July 19, football will sweep across three nations, 16 stadiums and 104 games, with every kick now locked into place. Mexico opens it, New York/New Jersey closes it. In between, the world’s giants and dreamers will crisscross the USA, Canada and Mexico chasing a trophy that has never felt so vast, or so logistically complex.

Azteca lights the first fuse

The first whistle blows in the most historic of settings.

On Thursday, June 11, Mexico launch the tournament against South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at 3pm ET, a curtain-raiser dripping in symbolism. Later that night, South Korea face Czechia at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara at 10pm, completing the first steps in Group A.

That group then swings north. Czechia meet South Africa in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 18 at 12pm ET, before Mexico return to Guadalajara to face South Korea at 9pm ET. The group wraps on June 24, with Czechia vs Mexico back at Azteca at 9pm ET, while South Africa and South Korea collide in Monterrey at Estadio BBVA at 9pm ET.

Canada takes center stage early

The next day, June 12, Canada enter the stage.

Group B begins at BMO Field in Toronto, where Canada host Bosnia and Herzegovina at 3pm ET. Qatar and Switzerland follow on June 13 at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area, also at 3pm ET.

The group then starts to stretch across the map. Switzerland face Bosnia and Herzegovina at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 18 at 3pm ET, while Canada fly west to Vancouver’s BC Place to meet Qatar at 6pm ET. The final round on June 24 keeps the group tight to the Pacific: Switzerland vs Canada at BC Place at 3pm ET, and Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar at Lumen Field in Seattle at the same time.

Brazil, Scotland and a coastal shuffle

Group C offers a classic heavyweight and a traditional European force moving up and down the East Coast.

Brazil open against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on June 13 at 6pm ET. Later that night, Haiti face Scotland at Gillette Stadium near Boston at 9pm ET.

Scotland stay in Foxborough for their second game, meeting Morocco there on June 19 at 6pm ET. Brazil head to Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field to take on Haiti that same night at 9pm ET. The finale sends Scotland south to face Brazil at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 24 at 6pm ET, while Morocco and Haiti finish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 6pm ET.

USA’s coast-to-coast test

For the hosts in Group D, the path is demanding and glamorous.

The USA start on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, taking on Paraguay at 9pm ET. Australia and Turkiye begin their campaigns at BC Place in Vancouver in the early hours of June 13 (midnight ET).

The Americans then travel north to Seattle to meet Australia at Lumen Field on June 19 at 3pm ET. Turkiye face Paraguay later that night at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area at midnight ET. The group closes on June 25 with Turkiye vs USA back at SoFi at 10pm ET, while Paraguay and Australia settle their fate at Levi’s at 10pm ET.

Germany on tour, Africa and South America collide

Group E stretches from Houston to Toronto and back down the eastern corridor.

Germany open against Curacao at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 14 at 1pm ET. That evening, Ivory Coast face Ecuador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia at 7pm ET.

Germany then head north to BMO Field in Toronto to meet Ivory Coast on June 20 at 4pm ET. Ecuador and Curacao duel at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City at 8pm ET. The group’s decisive day on June 25 sends Ecuador vs Germany to MetLife Stadium at 4pm ET, while Curacao and Ivory Coast meet again in Philadelphia at the same time.

Netherlands and Japan in the heartland

Group F belongs to the travelers.

The Netherlands and Japan open at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on June 14 at 4pm ET. That night, Sweden face Tunisia at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey at 10pm ET.

The Dutch and Swedes then clash in Houston at NRG Stadium on June 20 at 1pm ET, while Tunisia stay in Monterrey to meet Japan at midnight ET. The final round on June 25 brings Japan vs Sweden back to AT&T Stadium at 7pm ET, with Tunisia vs Netherlands at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City at 7pm ET.

Belgium, Egypt and a Pacific swing

Group G unfolds along the western edge of the map.

Iran and New Zealand get things going at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 15 at 9pm ET, while Belgium meet Egypt earlier that day at Lumen Field in Seattle at 3pm ET.

Belgium then return to Los Angeles to face Iran on June 21 at 3pm ET. New Zealand and Egypt meet at BC Place in Vancouver at 9pm ET. The group concludes on June 26 with Egypt vs Iran in Seattle at 11pm ET and New Zealand vs Belgium in Vancouver at 11pm ET.

Spain, Uruguay and a Latin flavor

Group H leans heavily into the southern venues.

Spain start against Cape Verde at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 15 at 12pm ET. Later that day, Saudi Arabia meet Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 6pm ET.

Spain stay in Atlanta to face Saudi Arabia on June 21 at 12pm ET. Uruguay and Cape Verde meet again in Miami at 6pm ET. The final fixtures on June 26 send Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia to NRG Stadium in Houston at 8pm ET, while Uruguay vs Spain heads to Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron at 8pm ET.

France, Senegal and a heavyweight East Coast block

Group I belongs to the eastern seaboard.

France open against Senegal at MetLife Stadium on June 16 at 3pm ET. Iraq and Norway follow at Gillette Stadium in Boston at 6pm ET.

France then move to Philadelphia to face Iraq on June 22 at 5pm ET, while Norway and Senegal meet at MetLife at 8pm ET. The group closes on June 26 with Norway vs France in Foxborough at 3pm ET and Senegal vs Iraq in Toronto at BMO Field at 3pm ET.

Argentina’s American tour

Group J is built around one of the sport’s most storied shirts.

Argentina begin against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on June 16 at 9pm ET. Austria and Jordan start at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area at midnight ET.

Argentina then head to AT&T Stadium in Dallas to face Austria on June 22 at 1pm ET. Jordan and Algeria meet again at Levi’s at 11pm ET. The final day on June 27 sends Algeria vs Austria back to Arrowhead at 10pm ET, while Jordan take on Argentina in Dallas at 10pm ET.

Portugal, Colombia and a North American triangle

Group K has a distinct three-city rhythm.

Portugal start against Democratic Republic of Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 17 at 1pm ET. Later that night, Uzbekistan face Colombia at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at 10pm ET.

Portugal then stay in Houston to meet Uzbekistan on June 23 at 1pm ET. Colombia and Democratic Republic of Congo travel to Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron for their clash at 10pm ET. The group concludes on June 27 with Colombia vs Portugal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 7:30pm ET and Democratic Republic of Congo vs Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 7:30pm ET.

England’s North American circuit

Group L sends England and Croatia through some of the continent’s most familiar football stops.

England open against Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on June 17 at 4pm ET. Ghana and Panama begin their campaigns the same day at BMO Field in Toronto at 7pm ET.

England then travel to Boston to face Ghana at Gillette Stadium on June 23 at 4pm ET, while Panama and Croatia meet again in Toronto at 7pm ET. The group finishes on June 27 with Panama vs England at MetLife Stadium at 5pm ET and Croatia vs Ghana in Philadelphia at 5pm ET.

Knockout chaos: 32 left standing

Once the 12 groups are done, the new-look knockout bracket roars into life with a Round of 32.

It starts on June 28 at SoFi Stadium, where the runners-up from Groups A and B meet in Match 73 at 3pm ET. The schedule then becomes a daily sprint.

On June 29, Match 76 sees the winner of Group C face the runner-up from Group F in Houston at 1pm ET. Match 74 follows in Boston at 4:30pm ET, with the Group E winner facing a third-place team from Groups A, B, C, D or F. Later that night, Match 75 takes the Group F winner to Monterrey to meet the Group C runner-up at 9pm ET.

June 30 brings two more heavyweight ties: Match 78 in Dallas at 1pm ET (runner-up Group E vs runner-up Group I) and Match 77 at MetLife at 5pm ET (winner Group I vs a third-place side from Groups C, D, F, G or H). That night, Match 79 sends the Group A winner back to Azteca at 9pm ET to face a third-place finisher from Groups C, E, F, H or I.

July 1 is a three-city carousel. Match 80 in Atlanta at 12pm ET pits the Group L winner against a third-place team from Groups E, H, I, J or K. Match 82 in Seattle at 4pm ET has the Group G winner against a third-place side from Groups A, E, H, I or J. Match 81 in the Bay Area at 8pm ET features the Group D winner against a third-place team from Groups B, E, F, I or J.

On July 2, Match 84 at SoFi (3pm ET) pairs the Group H winner with the Group J runner-up, while Match 83 in Toronto at 7pm ET sees the runners-up from Groups K and L collide. Late that night in Vancouver, Match 85 kicks off at 11pm ET, with the Group B winner facing a third-place side from Groups E, F, G, I or J.

The Round of 32 closes on July 3. Match 88 in Dallas at 2pm ET pits the Group D runner-up against the Group G runner-up. Match 86 in Miami at 6pm ET has the Group J winner against the Group H runner-up, before Match 87 at Arrowhead in Kansas City at 9:30pm ET, where the Group K winner meets a third-place finisher from Groups D, E, I, J or L.

Round of 16: the field narrows

From 32, the tournament cuts to 16, and the venues stay big.

On July 4, Match 90 in Houston at 1pm ET brings together the winners of Matches 73 and 75. Match 89 follows in Philadelphia at 5pm ET, with the winners of Matches 74 and 77.

July 5 belongs to the East and Mexico. Match 91 at MetLife at 4pm ET pits the winners of Matches 76 and 78, while Match 92 at Azteca at 8pm ET features the winners of Matches 79 and 80.

On July 6, Match 93 in Dallas at 3pm ET sees the winners of Matches 83 and 84 meet at AT&T Stadium. Later, Match 94 in Seattle at 8pm ET pairs the winners of Matches 81 and 82 at Lumen Field.

The Round of 16 wraps on July 7. Match 95 in Atlanta at 12pm ET has the winners of Matches 86 and 88, and Match 96 in Vancouver at 4pm ET sends the winners of Matches 85 and 87 into a late-night Pacific showdown.

Quarterfinals: only giants left

By July 9, the bracket has hardened. One mistake can define a generation.

Match 97 opens the quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium in Boston at 4pm ET, with the winners of Matches 89 and 90. On July 10, Match 98 takes over SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles at 3pm ET, featuring the winners of Matches 93 and 94.

July 11 brings a double-header. Match 99 kicks off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 5pm ET, as the winners of Matches 91 and 92 collide. Later that night, Match 100 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City at 9pm ET sees the winners of Matches 95 and 96 fight for the last semifinal berth.

Semifinals, third place and the final stage

The semifinals push the drama deep into the American summer.

On July 14, Match 101 takes place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas at 3pm ET, with the winners of Matches 97 and 98. The next day, July 15, Match 102 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 3pm ET brings together the winners of Matches 99 and 100.

The losers of those two games head to Miami for the third-place match, Match 103 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 18 at 5pm ET.

The winners go to New York/New Jersey.

On Sunday, July 19, at 3pm ET, MetLife Stadium hosts Match 104, the World Cup final. From Azteca’s opening roar to MetLife’s last whistle, 104 matches will have carved out new heroes, broken old powers, and tested the 48-team format to its limits.

Now everyone knows where their journey starts. The only question left is who will still be standing when the road ends in New Jersey.